Desperate Measures: Episode 09
Recap 6th April, 1512 ]] The Latrineian Scavengers arrive at the Tam River and see Highcastle in the distance to the west. The Tam River is a 200 foot canyon that empties into the much larger Grand Canal that is a a full 800 feet below the party. With no crossing visible where the party is, they travel northward to find a bridge. As the party head northward, they pass a series of switch backs that lead to a bridge over the Tam River. There is a wagon being pulled by an ox with 2 people on it heading towards the bridge. There is foot traffic already on the bridge and to the north the party see riders. They are inside peaceful civilisation here. With Highcastle looking intact and everything peaceful here, the Latrineian Scavengers and there no reason going there in search of wealth, so the party head north along the Tam River to investigate Confluence. The party pass the 4 riders who are heading southward as the party head northward. The riders looks like messengers and not solders. The party eventually reach a bridge across the Honey Rapids, which is only a 100 foot canyon. At this bridge is a signpost. Ebnur reads it: :NOTICE :An evil necromancer welding magic items has taken over Meadstead! :The magic items include the following: :1) Spear made of bone that has been seen to wither men in one blow :2) Cloak of Protection :3) At least 2 Potions :This Necromancer is an enemy of Highcastle and his death is welcomed. :No Reward. The party are perplexed by the sign, and how people know they have potions. The party cross the unguarded bridge over the the Honey Rapids River into the small town of Confluence in the Harkenwood. After passing other people on the bridge the party get to the edge of town and comes across 2 guards. The guards in chainmail, spears, & wooden shields & tell the party that while in town to get to their innroom to change out of the armor. The party agree and head inside the town. The party head into the town. The town is wooded overhead, so from above you would only see forest and the odd chimney smoke. The party find an inn near the entrance named "The Shelterwood". Ebnur leads the party inside and asks for 2 rooms from the owner, Grace (Human Female 5'4"). Ebnur asks Grace about Meadstead and she tells him there had been violence there. A necromancer showed up with a small army of undead. Grace suggests going to the Sheriff for more details. In their rooms the party, except Ebnur, get changed out of their armor, with Ebnur leveraging his cleric status to ignore the rules. Ebnur & Jeb goes to the Sheriff's Station and go speak with Sheriff Laura out front about the Meadstead situation in more detail. Sheriff Laura invites the party to explains more. Laura had found out from the Meadstead survivors that they had seen Skeletons, Zombies and a Spellcaster who can drain the life from people to heal his own wounds, riding on top of a Nightmare. The skeletons near the Necromancer had glowing red-eyes. Sheriff Laura as set up guards at the bridge at the north side of town, but has no plans to retake Meadstead. She doesn't want to risk her people who are here to protect her own town. She recommends Ebnur looks for independent fighters to help. Ebnur & Jeb then go get a shop to buy a bow string for Jeb's bow for 2 Iron Coins. Meanwhile back in the tavern, Joka & Vaughn are playing dice in the tavern. Grace the inn-keeper tries to speak with them but doesn't speak Mistryan. A middle-aged woman joins the dice game and looses 2 gold coins to Joka. Ebnur & Jeb return to the taven as the dice game is ending. Joka makes some money with dice games & card games. Ebnur settles accounts with Grace the Tavern Owner then party have a meeting and Ebnur assumes killing the Necromancer will kill all the undead. The party decide they will head up to Meadstead tomorrow morning. Ebnur goes to his inn room and casts Nap on himself to get some healing spells back to heal the party. Joka stays in the tavern making money off Dice Games, Jeb tests out the new Nadinis Bow now he has a bowstring for it. In the evening in the tavern a white haired gentleman with blue robes comes into the tavern and sits with Joka to play dice. He speaks Mistryan The wizard ends up winning the game and takes 9 silver from Joka. Ebnur joins the conversation to talk with the wizard as well, and finds out the Wizard is on the way to Highcastle from Bluecliff. The Wizard however isn't interested in joining the party to help Meadstead. The Wizard tells a story of a time he was in a crypt trying to get a treasure past a 8 foot Skeleton with a Fire his his chest guarding it. The cleric in his party cast Selective Invisibility on a friend, who was able to just walk up and take the treasure without the skeleton noticing. 8th April, 1512 The party sets out for Meadstead, crossing the Honey Rapids bridge to approach from the south. They meet a contingent of soldiers amongst whom is Kel Drake, who warns them of the danger ahead. Ebnur tries to recruit Kel Drake, but he declines. They continue on without incident until they're close to Meadstead. The canyon next to the river gets let tall as they travel. The party camp out near the trees and not the plains. 9th April, 1512 The party continue to travel towards Meadstead, following the river. When it gets to evening they can see smoke rising from the distance. The party camp a distance away from Meadstead and plan to go in tomorrow. While resting at night Ebnur fails to notice a group of skeletons attacking them during his watch. Jebediah is brought unconscious during the fight but is stabilised by Joka after. During the fight a wraith of some kind comes and observes the party without attacking. After dealing with the skeletons Vauhgn and Joka attack it to no avail and it phases into a tree. Joka starts cutting the tree with his woodaxe. Joka cuts down the tree and finds that the wraith is floating there. Joka dashes for Jeb's magic bow and takes a shot. He hits and the wraith and it vanishes immediately. The party then packs their stuff up and Ebnur casts Invisibility to Undead on the whole party and they book it eastward into the plains. 10th April, 1512 Ebnur investigates Meadstead alone the next day while the rest of the party rests in the plains. After casting Invisibility to Undead a mile away Ebnur approaches the town to find the sad peasantry going about their business. Ebnur approaches them and questions the Meadstead Townsfolk them about the undead. Ebnur is told that as long as the Townsfolk do as they're told the Necromancer stays in the keep leaves them alone. Meadstead Keep is a squat stone building with a 4 storey tower. Ebnur is also told that skeletons wait in the grass and hide laying down. Ebnur attempts to incite a peasant revolution by lying and telling them that he'll bring Kel Drake's army with him tomorrow to retake the town. They are unenthused about this however. Ebnur returns to the party and they make plans. Their planning is interrupted as Jeb spots undead approaching them from 700ft off. Ebnur preemptively uses Turn Undead and turns almost all of the skeletons. The party then slays the lone skeleton knight that is unaffected. Some skeletons with bows shoot Ebnur and break his concentration on the "Turn Undead" and a melee breaks out. Joka falls unconscious. The party defeat the skeletons and Joka is stabilised. Ebnur speculates that the Townsfolk sold them out to the necromancer and the party heads south as they continue to plan how best to beat the necromancer. 11th April, 1512 The party travels away from Meadstead and makes camp. Ebnur fails yet another perception check during his watch but nothing comes of it. 12th April, 1512 The next day Ebnur heals the party and they make their way back to Meadstead. The party then takes a nap with the town within sight. Joka and Jeb then fail to notice something on their watch. Jeb checks for tracks and finds nothing. The then decides to go into Meadstead and find the necromancer. When they arrive they find the town abandoned but fires still burning. The party searches a nearby barn and find no signs of people. Ebnur gets on top of a roof and Turns Undead to no effect. He then performs an omen reading with his parchment and gets a shitty drawing of what the party thinks is either a river or a tower. Ebnur once again Turns Undead with the same results. Undeterred, they press on towards the centre. They get to just outside the keep to find the gates wide open. Ebnur casts Strength of Stone on Vaughn and briskly walk in as a horn is blown from within the keep. Experience No Experience given this episode. Battle Stats :Attacks against the Wraith that did nothing are counted as regular misses Category:Desperate Measures Episodes